Napoleon spent ten months on this island in the Mediterranean. He was able to follow events in France without much difficulty. This initial exile was part of a relatively lenient settlement granted by the allies in 1814 after Napoleons initial defeat. Frances opponents did not want to humble the nation so much that it would seek revenge. Further, they believed that a stable France helped maintain a balance of power in Europe. Thus Napoleon first lived with a sizable entourage not far from the mainland.